Residents of Pebble Creek, a golfing community off of Stallings Road in Taylors, are up in arms about a proposed development in their community.
The owner of the Pebble Creek golf course is in contract to sell over ten acres of the course, specifically the driving range, to a local developer.
Greencity Development, which is headquartered in Greer, wants to build 80 homes in a mixed-use development. Greencity is currently pursuing a rezoning request.
A public hearing will take place this coming Monday. However, several residents got a head start when they showed up at the council's monthly public information forum this past Tuesday to speak in opposition to the project.
Several speakers cited traffic concerns. One woman said that she likes to walk the neighborhood. “The traffic would really be terrible,” she said. Another speaker expressed concern that the increased traffic that such a development would inevitably bring would require the installation of traffic lights.
Others described Pebble Creek as beautiful and peaceful. One noted that there is a bird sanctuary in the community. Several speakers said that they have lived there for decades and have raised their families there. One warned that such a development would cause the destruction of over ten acres of green space.
In addition to traffic concerns, several golfers warned that the elimination of the driving range would have a negative impact on the golf course. They said that the course is a popular public course that caters to golfing teams and youth outreach organizations. They noted that the nearest comparable golf course is eight miles away.
One resident expressed concern about the presence of heavy equipment in the community for an extended period of time if the development is approved. He said that the increased development of the neighborhood would destroy the reasons that he moved there.
Still another resident expressed the concern that the zoning change to mixed-use could end up bringing apartments, a gas station, perhaps even a liquor store. “It doesn't make any sense to even consider a zoning change for mixed use,” she said.
Another speaker noted that rezoning the property would go against Greenville County's comprehensive growth plan. He said that the neighborhood, which already contains 1,400 homes, is not a “growth area.” He urged the council to respect the comprehensive plan, not ignore it.
